Ardina's title bid slips away as Thai triumphs vs Li in dramatic playoff

MANILA, Philippines – Dottie Ardina's quest for a breakthrough win on the LPGA Tour disintegrated with a frustrating frontside collapse in the final round of the NW Arkansas Championship in Rogers, Arizona on Sunday (Monday Manila time).

After starting the day just one shot behind the leader, Ashleigh Buhai, Ardina stumbled with a three-over card in the first nine holes and finished with a 75 at the par-71 Pinnacle Country Club course, tumbling down the leaderboard from serious contender to an afterthought by the tournament's close.

While Jasmine Suwannapura and Lucy Li turned the course into their personal playgrounds with sizzling final-round scores, Ardina struggled to replicate her earlier magic. Her rounds of 65 and 67 had placed her in prime position for a shot at her first LPGA title, but a birdie-less frontside and an erratic back nine left her with a four-over card for the day.

The pressure of competing on the world’s premier circuit may have caught up with Ardina, or perhaps it was simply an off day as her touch and accuracy abandoned her when she needed them most. As the Filipino shotmaker left the $3 million championship, she likely had more questions than answers about her sudden decline.

Meanwhile, Suwannapura, who led after the first day, and Li went on a scoring spree. Suwannapura improved on her first-round 63 with a dazzling 10-under 61, punctuated by a dramatic last-hole eagle.

Li, not to be outdone, delivered an equally impressive performance with a rare three-eagle round, including a spectacular pitch-in on the par-4 eighth hole. She carded a final-round 60 to match Suwannapura's 196, setting up a sudden-death playoff.

After both players matched birdies on the first playoff hole, Suwannapura sealed her third LPGA Tour victory with another eagle on the 18th, outdueling Li, who settled for a birdie.

Sei Young Kim also made a late charge with a final-round 63 to finish solo third at 197. Buhai, unable to sustain her lead, carded a 69 and finished tied for fourth with Mao Saigo and Arpichaya Yubol, who posted rounds of 65 and 66, respectively, for a total of 199.

Reflecting on her victory, Suwannapura credited her mental toughness.

“This week, I think my mindset was pretty solid. My mental was really good,” she said. “It was literally hole-by-hole, shot-by-shot. I was very focused on that eagle putt in the playoff. I told myself, 'You better finish it here, or it’s going to be a while.' And I made it.”

Despite the loss, Li was optimistic about her near-miss.

“It’s great to be in contention. Jasmine played so great. She eagled the 18th and did it again in the playoff,” said the 21-year-old.

For Ardina, this latest setback was another bitter pill to swallow, coming off a missed cut the previous week in Ohio. However, the ICTSI-backed golfer remains determined to rebound, vowing to come back stronger and more prepared to tackle the challenges ahead.